:00:09. > :00:11.Tonight: The Bank of England steps into the debate over currency in an
:00:12. > :00:13.independent Scotland. Governor Mark Carney reveals his
:00:14. > :00:17.bank IS making plans in the event of a referendum yes vote, and says
:00:18. > :00:18.stability will continue, whatever happens.
:00:19. > :00:30.day, the First Minister, Alex Salmond, is here to answer
:00:31. > :00:32.Also on the programme, Scotland's jobless
:00:33. > :00:35.figure is in freefall, as the number of people in work reaches a record
:00:36. > :00:37.high. Who's right on disability welfare?
:00:38. > :00:40.The SNP say a hundred thousand will lose benefits under UK-wide reform,
:00:41. > :00:42.but Westminster says the system needed to change.
:00:43. > :00:49.Locals say they're horrified after a triple theft at one of Orkney's most
:00:50. > :00:52.famous and sacred landmarks. And the referees union say they hope
:00:53. > :01:15.to avoid a strike in a dispute over pay.
:01:16. > :01:18.Good Evening. The Governor of the Bank England has confirmed that it
:01:19. > :01:21.does have a contingency plan in the event of a yes vote in the
:01:22. > :01:24.referendum. Mark Carney refused to reveal what the plans are but said
:01:25. > :01:27.the Bank would continue to maintain stability in the banking system
:01:28. > :01:30.whatever the result. I'll be speaking to the First Minister Alex
:01:31. > :01:32.Salmond about that in a moment, but first, here's our Economics
:01:33. > :02:34.It is the job of the Bank of England to make us feel assured. We do have
:02:35. > :02:40.contingency plans. The announcement confirmed what most people expected
:02:41. > :02:51.that the bank is making contingency plans in case that is a yes vote in
:02:52. > :02:58.September. What the bank of England is trying to do is make sure that
:02:59. > :03:05.nobody panics and either side of the border if there is a yes foot in
:03:06. > :03:08.September. They are worried people might withdraw their money if there
:03:09. > :03:21.is a yes vote while the ghost sessions take place. We know that a
:03:22. > :03:26.currency union will not happen and it will not be agreed by the rest of
:03:27. > :03:29.the United Kingdom let alone work for Scotland. Scotland would have
:03:30. > :03:34.less economic freedom and less economic sovereignty and less
:03:35. > :03:42.ability to affect our own destiny than we have at the moment. For a
:03:43. > :03:46.period after the referendum we set out for an 18 month period. In that
:03:47. > :03:58.period Scotland will remain part of the United Kingdom and the Bank of
:03:59. > :04:08.England will have the responsibility for that sovereignty. The
:04:09. > :04:14.announcement from the Bank of England today strikes a different
:04:15. > :04:23.tone to what the government in the UK have been saying. Is it not a bit
:04:24. > :04:31.strange that the governor of the Bank of England I'm making
:04:32. > :04:36.contingency plans and you are not? What he has said today is very
:04:37. > :04:42.helpful and shows he is hoping to ensure financial stability and what
:04:43. > :04:48.a contrast to the views of the Westminster parties. He has also yet
:04:49. > :04:52.again corrected idea that he was against a currency union. He will
:04:53. > :04:59.implement what ever disagreed. We should also look at what is causing
:05:00. > :05:04.the instability which is the adamant refusal of the Westminster parties
:05:05. > :05:09.to countenance a currency union which is the preferred option of
:05:10. > :05:17.most of the Scottish people. To be fair, that is your opinion. A survey
:05:18. > :05:21.yesterday showed it was the vast majority of Scottish people believe
:05:22. > :05:36.that is what will happen following a yes vote. Well done to Mark Carney
:05:37. > :05:40.for doing this. This evening for major financial institutions have
:05:41. > :05:52.told the BBC that they fear what they call deposit from Scottish
:05:53. > :05:58.banks in the aftermath of yes vote. Why is Mark Carney having to steady
:05:59. > :06:07.the horses when you are not? He is doing what he should do in his job.
:06:08. > :06:17.The fear of deposit flight is caused by financial rescue where a currency
:06:18. > :06:21.other than sterling would be used. Where I think it would be useful for
:06:22. > :06:26.us to clarify and for the debate to be clarified is that the Westminster
:06:27. > :06:31.parties are not stop Scotland using the pound. That is our currency.
:06:32. > :06:38.They are trying to stop us having access to the Bank of England. It is
:06:39. > :06:45.a shared asset and the nationalised in 1946 which holds about 27% of the
:06:46. > :06:50.vast debts. That is a financial asset and they cannot claim all of
:06:51. > :06:56.it without taking responsibility for the financial liability of the debt
:06:57. > :07:00.and is that message gets across, not just the responsibility of
:07:01. > :07:10.incredible nature of the Westminster party and their incredible position
:07:11. > :07:14.on the matter. The idea that they would damage the economy of England
:07:15. > :07:20.and take on all of the national debt by refusing to give us access to the
:07:21. > :07:22.assets is an incredible position. That is a position which is
:07:23. > :07:28.irresponsible and they should stop now. Let us assume that the other
:07:29. > :07:35.parties are bluffing and that is monetary union. The Bank of England
:07:36. > :07:45.with those assets will be running the Scottish economy. That is not
:07:46. > :07:51.independence. The Bank of England is independent of government policy. It
:07:52. > :07:58.sets interest rates which the government does not do. We have
:07:59. > :08:03.published plans to increase spending by 3% rather than the Westminster
:08:04. > :08:09.plans which are 1%. That is the sort of policy that will help us save and
:08:10. > :08:13.invest in our health service. It will look after the majority but not
:08:14. > :08:18.the people who live in Scotland. It will determine interest rates for
:08:19. > :08:26.them and not for us. Why should it if we are independent? That is the
:08:27. > :08:34.financial policy setting interest rates. We will control 100% of our
:08:35. > :08:39.fiscal policy. That will govern our spending as opposed to having it
:08:40. > :08:46.dictated to us as it is at the current time by Westminster. The
:08:47. > :08:48.difference between the Scottish able to able to decide to invest in a
:08:49. > :08:56.National Health Service or alternatively be at the mercy of the
:08:57. > :09:11.privatisation agenda with a cap backs -- cutbacks which I propose.
:09:12. > :09:23.-- which are proposed. Nicola Sturgeon said that many people are
:09:24. > :09:35.in danger of losing their benefits. Is that not Project Fear? Spending
:09:36. > :09:42.on the health service in England has been going up. You know that as well
:09:43. > :09:48.as I do. The Labour Party in England say that is a huge privatisation
:09:49. > :09:55.agenda. You always agree with the Labour Party? No, but we can see the
:09:56. > :09:58.disintegration and fragmentation that has happened which is designed
:09:59. > :10:09.to reduce spending on the health service. For every ?10 spent in
:10:10. > :10:13.England, Scotland gets ?1. If you reduce the health service in
:10:14. > :10:19.England, there is a knock on consequence in Scotland. We say to
:10:20. > :10:22.reinforce that, there should be constitutional protection which
:10:23. > :10:28.would build that into the new constitution. The United Kingdom
:10:29. > :10:31.does not have a written constitution. We want a written
:10:32. > :10:37.constitution that gives a constitutional guarantee for the
:10:38. > :10:56.health service on the night Bevan principle. --Nye Bevan. You have
:10:57. > :11:03.been proposing more money in people 's pockets. Would it not have been
:11:04. > :11:08.more honest to say that independence is risky and will be a lot of
:11:09. > :11:13.negotiation. It might not be a straightforward proposal. It might
:11:14. > :11:19.even cost a bit more and taxes might have to go up in the short-term.
:11:20. > :11:25.Would that not have been more honest to say, if independence was that
:11:26. > :11:30.important? A week or two ago I made a speech saying that we would not
:11:31. > :11:33.promise that would be free taps with whiskey, oil and water in every
:11:34. > :11:36.Scottish household. We would not promise that would be free taps with
:11:37. > :11:38.whiskey, oil and water in every Scottish household. We're saying
:11:39. > :11:41.that by taking charge of our financial destiny, over a period of
:11:42. > :11:45.time working together by investing in the right things, we can marshal
:11:46. > :11:49.resources in this country with the fantastic people assets in this
:11:50. > :11:55.country and build a more prosperous and more just society. We do not say
:11:56. > :11:59.that will happen overnight but you are far more likely to end up of the
:12:00. > :12:02.public health service free at the point of need, available for older
:12:03. > :12:10.people, if that is what you want to do. But that is not under threat
:12:11. > :12:15.anywhere. I disagree. I think the privatisation agenda site of the
:12:16. > :12:22.border is destroying the health service. The health service here
:12:23. > :12:28.sends people to private hospitals. Our objective is not to reduce
:12:29. > :12:35.expenditure on the public health service and we feel we stay in the
:12:36. > :12:39.present system, matters south of the border will affect Scotland. We want
:12:40. > :12:46.to ensure that our public health service remains free at the point of
:12:47. > :12:57.provision as is -- and is guaranteed. You have had one major
:12:58. > :13:04.debate with Alistair Darling. The consensus was that she hadn't maybe
:13:05. > :13:09.not performed as well as you could perform. Do you feel you did as well
:13:10. > :13:14.as you could have? I adopted a tone which I hope is more conversational
:13:15. > :13:19.in terms of expanding issues and I would like to have more time as we
:13:20. > :13:22.have had tonight to explain why we cannot be stopped from using our
:13:23. > :13:28.currency and the various options that were laid out in the White
:13:29. > :13:30.Paper. We will have lots more opportunities and you can be
:13:31. > :13:34.absolutely certain that the yes campaign in general and myself in
:13:35. > :13:41.particular are up for it. And on tomorrow night's programme
:13:42. > :13:44.we'll hear from the other side of the debate - Alistair Darling will
:13:45. > :13:47.be here in the studio for a live interview. And if you'd like more on
:13:48. > :13:50.the referendum, then tune in to Radio Scotland on medium wave or
:13:51. > :13:53.digital at 11 for Referendum Tonight, or head online to
:13:54. > :13:54.bbc.co.uk/scotlanddecides. You're watching Reporting Scotland
:13:55. > :14:06.from the BBC. Still to come on In sport: Could Scotland's football
:14:07. > :14:18.refs be about to strike again. And Scotland's silver track stars are
:14:19. > :14:21.into the semis of the European Scotland has reached a record high.
:14:22. > :14:45.The latest official figures show employment is up by over 60,000 in
:14:46. > :14:48.the year and unemployment has fallen too. Here's our business
:14:49. > :14:50.correspondent, David Henderson. At this Jobcentre in Glasgow this
:14:51. > :15:02.morning staff were helping match job-seekers
:15:03. > :15:02.with vacancies. in new call centre jobs and in
:15:03. > :15:14.hotels and restaurants. In recent months the economy has shown signs
:15:15. > :15:33.of recovery so employers have been taking on new staff, and here, they
:15:34. > :15:36.have noticed a rise in the number of available. The number of people in
:15:37. > :15:41.Scotland who are out of work and looking for a job has fallen this
:15:42. > :15:45.month, to 176,000 and, at the same time the workforce has risen again
:15:46. > :15:48.by 9000 to a record high. So the Scottish unemployment rate is now
:15:49. > :15:51.6.4%, the same as for the UK. Staff at the Jobcentre have noticed that
:15:52. > :15:54.some employers seem more confident During
:15:55. > :16:00.the recession part-time and temporary vacancies increased but
:16:01. > :16:02.certainly we are seeing that trend turn around and more and more
:16:03. > :16:29.vacancies coming on are permanent and full-time. There are still
:16:30. > :16:32.part-time vacancies, it suits a lot people. The jobs market is fluid,
:16:33. > :16:38.like this when shop in Barrhead. Peter Rosenthal is one of a record
:16:39. > :16:41.number of self-employed Scottish people, the tops up his work here
:16:42. > :16:43.with wine-tasting classes and consultancy work. Coming from a
:16:44. > :16:46.background where I had a job that gave me an income every single
:16:47. > :16:49.month, the mortgage would be paid, you knew that, that transition to
:16:50. > :16:52.being in a work position where if the work is not covered,you don't
:16:53. > :16:55.get paid, the mortgage does not get paid. Some of the new jobs we have
:16:56. > :16:59.seen may be seasonal because of the Commonwealth Games but long-term
:17:00. > :17:03.the outlook is good. More than 100,000 people in Scotland
:17:04. > :17:06.will lose disability benefits under UK-wide welfare changes, according
:17:07. > :17:23.to new analysis by the Scottish Government. The deputy First
:17:24. > :17:25.Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, says the cuts are "simply wrong". But UK
:17:26. > :17:28.ministers say the old system needed reform. Here's our political
:17:29. > :17:50.correspondent, Glenn Campbell. as a blind person, he also suffers
:17:51. > :17:53.from heart disease, diabetes and
:17:54. > :17:57.depression. Most people feel vulnerable and the
:17:58. > :18:00.disabled person and we feel bad that we are being
:18:01. > :18:02.branded as, you know, scroungers or a burden to society. And that is
:18:03. > :18:05.what it feels like. That you have now become a burden to society
:18:06. > :18:09.because we are in a recession. It is no fault of disabled people. He is
:18:10. > :18:12.one of 190,000 people who receive disability living allowance at the
:18:13. > :18:14.moment. By 2018 the Scottish Government estimates that more than
:18:15. > :18:17.half of them will lose at least The benefits are
:18:18. > :18:23.being phased out and replaced by the personal independence payment. The
:18:24. > :18:25.cuts that are being implemented are hitting very hard some of the most
:18:26. > :18:31.vulnerable disabled people, they have been disproportionately hit by
:18:32. > :18:32.these cuts. don't seem to care much about the
:18:33. > :18:38.impact of these cuts. But visiting an ice cream shop in Dundee, the
:18:39. > :18:44.Scottish Secretary claimed SNP ministers were not guaranteeing a
:18:45. > :18:46.sweeter deal to those on benefits. The Scottish Government see that
:18:47. > :18:50.there is a need for welfare reform. What they never do is tell us how
:18:51. > :18:54.that should be done. And unless and until they come forward with
:18:55. > :18:56.proposals, they are frankly criticising and it looks like cheap
:18:57. > :19:00.exploitation of people's legitimate fear. The
:19:01. > :19:02.Scottish Government argue that a vote for independence would help us
:19:03. > :19:05.stop the shift away from the disability living allowance and the
:19:06. > :19:20.zany fear and wealthier system but those who want Scotland to stay
:19:21. > :19:24.within the union say that social protection is better organised
:19:25. > :19:27.across the UK, drawing on the tax contributions from a much larger
:19:28. > :19:43.economy. The were at Ibrox after a
:19:44. > :20:19.46-year-old man was too loosely injured in attack.
:20:20. > :20:21.--The police were called after a 46-year-old man was
:20:22. > :20:41.Tickets for the 50th birthday party of the Forth Road Bridge will go on
:20:42. > :20:45.general sale on Friday. There will be a torchlight procession on
:20:46. > :20:46.September the 13th. There will be bands playing and a firework
:20:47. > :20:54.display. Thieves have caused outrage
:20:55. > :20:56.in Orkney, after stealing artefacts Three wooden plaques representing
:20:57. > :21:00.the Stations of the Cross have been removed from the former Nissen hut -
:21:01. > :21:03.which was converted into a place of worship by prisoners
:21:04. > :21:18.of war during the Second World War. This modest building was given a
:21:19. > :21:28.special blessing earlier in the year. Today it was not mass but
:21:29. > :21:31.fingerprints that were being taken. It was hit by vandals back in June.
:21:32. > :21:34.Three wooden plaques representing the Stations of the Cross have been
:21:35. > :21:37.removed from the former Nissen hut - which was converted into a place
:21:38. > :21:40.of worship by prisoners of war, during the Second World War.
:21:41. > :21:47.They portray incidents in Christ's journey to the cross.
:21:48. > :21:49.The wartime chapel is the most popular tourist attraction
:21:50. > :21:59.in Orkney with more than 100,000 visitors a year.
:22:00. > :22:08.The 14 plaques were a gift from the chapel's creator Domenico
:22:09. > :22:17.Police have appealed to the public for help in tracing the artefacts.
:22:18. > :22:28.Additional security would come at a cost and not just a monetary one. It
:22:29. > :22:34.would change the atmosphere entirely in here. It is a place which is open
:22:35. > :22:43.for the public to admire and it would give a different atmosphere
:22:44. > :22:47.altogether. Securing the chapel while maintaining its simplicity is
:22:48. > :23:04.a major challenge. Former top referee Stuart Dougal
:23:05. > :23:06.says current officials should be paid more for taking charge
:23:07. > :23:09.of Championship matches involving Rangers, Hearts and Hibs to avoid
:23:10. > :23:14.the threat of strike action. Refs are disgruntled that these
:23:15. > :23:17.high profile matches pay ?645 Four years ago they went
:23:18. > :23:20.on strike when their integrity was called into question - this time
:23:21. > :23:37.their grievance is over wages. Referees taking charge of
:23:38. > :23:47.championship matches receive a different amount to those taking
:23:48. > :23:52.charge of other games. The spoils for the victors will probably be
:23:53. > :23:59.greater because it will be a passport into the Premier League. We
:24:00. > :24:13.should get our Premier League wage for doing Premier League matches.
:24:14. > :24:19.Will the referees strike? I do not think that will happen but we need
:24:20. > :24:26.to sit down together. The chairman of the Scottish cup Max senior
:24:27. > :25:08.Football Referees Association issued this statement. --Scottish Senior
:25:09. > :25:32.Football Referees Association. We'll know within 24 hours if Celtic
:25:33. > :25:35.are to remain in the Champions League qualifiers. Legia Warsaw's
:25:36. > :25:36.appeal against Celtic's reinstatement in the competition at
:25:37. > :25:39.the Polish club's expense was heard this morning. Legia were punished
:25:40. > :25:42.for bringing on a substitute, who was ineligible, in the second leg of
:25:43. > :25:45.their tie against the Scottish champions.
:25:46. > :25:46.Celtic begin the defence of their premiership title tonight away to St
:25:47. > :25:49.Johnstone. There's coverage of that and tonight's five other premiership
:25:50. > :25:51.matches on BBC Radio Scotland 810 medium wave on line and on digital.
:25:52. > :25:55.The show is on air now. Hibernian's owner Sir Tom Farmer has
:25:56. > :25:57.turned down a take-ever bid came from a consortium headed
:25:58. > :26:01.by financial adviser David Low. Hibs say accepting
:26:02. > :26:03.the bid was not was not Scotland's two track silver medal
:26:04. > :26:07.winners from Glasgow 2014 are through to the semi finals
:26:08. > :26:09.of the European championships. Lynsey Sharp won her eight hundred
:26:10. > :26:12.meters heat in Zurich comfortably. through to the semi finals
:26:13. > :26:14.of the European championships. Eilidh Child was also first
:26:15. > :26:18.in her 400 metres hurdles heat. Andy Murray's through to the third
:26:19. > :26:22.round of the Cinncinatti Masters tennis.
:26:23. > :26:23.Murray beating the world number 37, Joaw Sousa of Portugal, in straight
:26:24. > :26:39.sets this afternoon, six-three, There will still be a breeze
:26:40. > :26:52.tomorrow. If you escaped today with a and bright conditions. , those
:26:53. > :26:56.showers could well be heavy and there will be brighter skies. You
:26:57. > :27:00.will be unlucky if you catch a heavy shower. It will be around 20 degrees
:27:01. > :27:04.in the sunshine and the best of the sun is likely around the coastline
:27:05. > :27:09.but up towards the far north it will be cloudy with showers and a similar
:27:10. > :27:14.story for the Northern Isles that there will be brighter glances at
:27:15. > :27:21.times. Those heavy showers continue to work their way down to England so
:27:22. > :27:29.the risk of a heavy downpour or two. Friday starts off reasonably dry and
:27:30. > :27:35.as we head towards the afternoon some decent dry and bright and sunny
:27:36. > :27:39.spells around. This ridge of high pressure is the reason. As we head
:27:40. > :27:45.towards the weekend, low-pressure arrives and the weather will return
:27:46. > :27:50.in a decidedly unsettled fashion. Saturday will be a breezy day with
:27:51. > :27:55.rain across Western and southwestern parts of the country. The further
:27:56. > :28:01.east you are the dryer it will be but those unsettled conditions will
:28:02. > :28:08.remain through till Sunday. The Governor of the Bank of England,
:28:09. > :28:15.Mark Carney, said he has a contingency plan for a yes vote.
:28:16. > :28:19.Alex Salmond on this programme welcomed this.
:28:20. > :28:22.And that's Reporting Scotland. You can watch tonight's interview with
:28:23. > :28:24.the First Minister on our website - and on tomorrow night's programme